Does distance weaken authority?

[Robert Sobczak]

Not in the case
of operating water flows
at the S-333 structure.

The monitoring station that controls it
is located over 10 miles away!!!

See for yourself at
Go Hydrology!  

[Swamp Hunter]

Didnt they just recently build that expensive structure? 

Im confused.

 If the goal is to restore the natural flow to the East Everglades, then why do they need a structure at all to control a natural flow?  

Who are they providing flood protection for?

I thought the plan was to fill in the canals?

 

[Robert Sobczak]

It's slower and more complicated than anyone would have expected.  The structure shown is the source of water that will be sent to the One Mile Bridge ... at least for the foreseeable future.  Flood protection is for the east coast, i.e. the levees are leaky, and as for the canals, some will go but many will remain ... and for the time being they are all still there.  

[Swamp Hunter]

Yes I realize the water is going down the canal and into the 1 mile bridge opening.  And I realize this structure offers no flood protection for the East Coast.  Since natural flow is the objective, I just dont understand why it cant stay open all the time?  Why did we need to build it at all?

 

 

[Swamp Hunter]

I can understand the monitoring station being 10 miles away because they seem to want to control the water level at that point but I dont understand why they dont just let it flow. The biggest problem IMO is trying to control something that doesnt want to be controled. The Everglades did just fine before water contol and Im sure its complicated but it seems to me they still want to impound water in the Conservation Areas like one huge lake just like before... I thought they were building reservoirs for that.

[Swamp Hunter]

I dont want to give the impression that I have any idea about this stuff, because I dont, but Im guessing the Water Management still wants to control the water flowing into Everglades National Park. 

[Robert Sobczak]

They've been trying to build that bridge for over 2 decades.  But, yes, they want to control it too.  One of the problems is that on the east side of the park the levees are leaky, therefore too much water in the glades can leak over to the other side.

[Ted]

The same organization that created all the damage to the Glades is the same group in charge of fixing it.  Read the book "The Swamp" by Michael Grunwald to get a better insight of how the state of Florida loves its Everglades.

[Robert Sobczak]

Good point.

[Swamp Hunter]

OK thanks. That makes sense. They are giving flood protection for the homes in the East Everglades area near Homestead because they couldnt force them out. I forget what the area is called. 10 mile or something.

For 2 decades we have been hearing about restoring natural flow and the first thing they do is build a large expensive flood control gate. But now I finally understand.

They have essentially built a larger culvert (one mile wide) for more water to flow and to protect the roadway from erosion as well. But they cannot let it flow naturally because they need to provide flood protection for the 10 mile area. I remember the homeowners fighting. And that is why the monitoring station is 10 miles away.